Rasputin of the East

28

For the remainder of 1914, German and Russian forces were back and forth.

The Austro-Hungarian army, which was advancing proudly into Russian territory, was completely crushed and forced to be driven out of its original borders, and in the end, Germany created the 9th Army and entrusted it with the task of supporting the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

However, the Russian army also completed its mobilization and concentrated 1.3 million troops in 7 armies in the south alone.

Of course, this was only a temporary frontline formation. Until the German Empire accepts that the Schlieffen Plan has failed and concentrates on the Eastern Front, the German army is short in numbers and the Austro-Hungarian army is in a situation of a total difficulty right now, with privates and officers speaking different languages. grace is given

And during that grace period, I demanded a basic tactical modification of the Russian army.

“Are you digging trenches?”

“That’s right.”

The operation staff’s expression was absurd.

“Sir, I do not know where you learned your tactics, but at least the basic tactic of the Empire is cavalry warfare with cavalry. Trenching is basically a defensive tactic. Keeping only a few lines of defense is not enough to keep the fronts well in the vast territories of the Empire.”

It’s not wrong. Why was the Soviet Union so crazy about the armored units, the weapon systems that inherited the cavalry?

Because fortifications cannot properly maintain a territory that is too wide, even if it is large.

Russia, along with the British Army, was the first country to grasp the usefulness of trenches in the first place. Because I had a lot of fun as a torch car in the Russo-Japanese War.

“I’m not talking about digging trenches across all fronts. In that case, materials and manpower would be endlessly consumed.”

You might think that what materials are needed to shovel children, but if you have ever made trenches in the military, you will know that making trenches also requires materials.

It costs less than a decent maginot line-like bunker, but when you think of digging it all over Russia’s front lines, the amount is almost a nightmare.

Of course, it may not be possible to procure it, but the railroad network to distribute the procured materials to the front lines is also poor, so the railroad is overloaded just to deliver ammunition and rifles.

The Russian army has 1.4 million regular troops and 5 million reserve troops, but has 4.6 million rifles and machine guns, far less than the European average. Thanks to this, some are imported from abroad, and my factory is fully operational.

“But a large-scale German offensive is expected within the next year, so let’s fortify the main offensive axis. It doesn’t cost money to shovel the soldiers.”

“If you limit yourself to a part of the front, won’t the enemy bypass you?”

“The German military values operational mobility, so that’s not always the case. If you detour excessively, the side of the attacking force will be exposed to the allies head-on, and a counterattack in that situation will cause enormous damage. Moreover, even if the axis of the offensive is changed altogether, the German offensive is ultimately carried out with a strategic goal, and there is a high possibility that the strategic objective cannot be achieved if it is excessively circumvented.”

This winter, the Austro-Hungarian forces conduct a solo offensive and are completely shattered, losing half of their forces and being driven out. As a result, Austria-Hungary grabbed hold of the German Empire’s trousers and stretched out, and if the German army did not support it, it would form a unilateral peace with Russia.

‘So it’s not clear where to fortify.’

Russian-occupied territory in Austro-Hungarian Territory, along the Tarnuf-Gorlice Axis towards Krakow.

This is the only way to stop the advance of the Russian army and force a retreat.

***

“So you’re going to go yourself?”

Stolipin fixed his glasses. As he went on, his face became brittle and he was getting old.

“of course.”

“The reason is?”

“First, the military force of the Home Office is not counted as an army. Since they are armed police at best, they are treated less than the reserve forces, so there is little chance of them being vigilant against the enemy forces.”

I wondered what they would look like if they found out that they had more automatics than them and had deployed them on tanks and, not long ago, even planes.

“If a regular Russian army, not mine, is deployed to block the offensive, they may decide that their intentions have been read and cancel or reverse the offensive. Our unit firepower is high, so one of our soldiers can do the share of two or three Russians.”

Of course, that alone is not reassuring, so it is possible to remove the existing defenders to the front line.

The German side would see this as the Russian side spurred the offensive to end Austria-Hungary as quickly as possible, and for this purpose, they even brought the police force and placed it in a supply unit in the relatively rear.

It’s an appetizing target at the level of begging to be beaten.

However, there is a possibility that the opponent feels suspicious, but…

“I’m going to ask General Brusilov for a small offensive. I don’t want the offensive to actually start, so I want the Germans to misjudge so that the preparations for a major offensive are underway.”

“If General Brusilov is the new commander of the 8th Army. I am a stiff person.”

“I have the confidence to convince you.”

Then Stolipin put down the pen.

“First of all, I don’t know much about the military, and when you say that you are confident of victory, you should believe it, but to be honest, it’s hard to shake off your anxiety, I hope the old man is overly concerned. But telling me not to go is not a good thing, most of all, no matter what I say, will you act? Now that I’m here, I don’t even have the means to control the internal forces.”

“……”

“An empire cannot survive without reform, but the reformer’s voice, if not accompanied by force, is, to be honest, empty bullshit.”

I saw Stolipin.

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Maybe it was just a momentary illusion, but… Stolipin’s shoulders looked so thin and weak today.

“You won’t be dismissed if you lose once, Ohrana is already yours, and the Empire depends on you for all supply lines except for imports, but the Interior Army is not, I’m not even involved in that. It is ridiculous to say such a thing.”

The imperial interior minister, a shabby figure that did not match the words of the empire’s last flame flashed through my eyes for a moment.

As if it was just a human figure of the falling Russian Empire.

“So do not lose, be sure to win, so that at least one of the sons of the Empire can embrace their mother, wife, and daughter. make me go home It’s not an order, it’s a request.”

“All right.”

“And one more thing, you, Irina is still with you.”

“Didn’t the minister put it by my side?”

“I was told to monitor your every move and kill you if you leave, didn’t you feel betrayed?”

“I had never felt so terribly excited about it.”

It’s from a past life.

No, you have to expect in the first place to be betrayed, so is it wrong to expect in the first place?

“I’m glad then, but I do have one thing to tell you, there were a number of deliberate omissions in the investigation report she sent me about you, that it was an attempt to narrow the relationship between me and you, but it was also a breach of her mission. ”

Stolipin sighed.

“I don’t know when she started, but it means that she has already changed the target of allegiance to you.”

“…that part is a little embarrassing.”

Was there any reason for that? There was nothing that came to mind.

“So do I, it was the child I cherished.”

There was an overlap of the old father sighing that it was no use raising his daughter for a moment, but he did not dare to open his mouth.

“You, too, must have experienced it while working as a secretary, but one of the skills is definitely a child, I will be using it a lot in the future…

“Aren’t you going to take me back?”

“It’s much better to have you with me than to force an agent who has already changed the subject of allegiance. You and I are in the same boat anyway, and it’s a little bitter inside.”

After a moment, Stolipin took the box out of the drawer.

“Anyway, I believe only you, if you succeed and build a military force that even those with oil in their brains can’t be denied, push the reform and push forward the reform by crushing the efforts of those with oil in their ships. Furthermore, the empire can survive.”

“Okay, is that…?”

“On the battlefield, you always need a weapon. Whatever the commander, that part is the same. Think of it as preparing for one at a time.”

Stolipin, who handed the box, began to focus on the paperwork as if his business was over. It was a bit awkward to open the box in front of me, so I took the whole box.

After a while, I opened the box and smiled.

“Hey, look at this gentleman.”

I smiled when I saw the cape gun, which was loaded with bullets and modified to cut the butt and barrel so that it could be hidden inside the coat.

“It’s not like you get hit with a shotgun, you get a shotgun as a gift.”

In trench warfare, shotguns are as valuable as submachine guns. Of course, I would buy a submachine gun and carry it with me, but it is true that it is a piece of equipment that will increase the survival rate.

“Anyway, I will write it well, Minister.”

But I was bitter inside.

In the end, I will betray his expectations.

Stolipin is dreaming of an empire in the same form as before, and a Russian empire in the form of progressing under the tsar’s leadership even if it is reformed and strengthened.

And it is impossible to make his wish come true.

‘There is no way that a person of that size would not know it in the first place.’

A person who remains loyal to the Romanov dynasty even though it is clear that the existing tsar system is unsustainable in the new era.

A contradictory existence that mercilessly beats up republicans and constantly calls for reform while living up to their grudges.

Why is he so loyal to the Romanov dynasty and to the old Russian regime?

I have no way of knowing It’s not that even I’m truly loyal, but only avoiding the worst and opening up a path to exile if I don’t want to.

I won’t say that I have nothing to do with repaying the favor I’ve received before and the friendship I’ve built over the years.

However, unlike me, who would make an unpleasant choice if there was no real choice, Stolipin behaves as if the option itself does not exist in the first place, even if they die hugging each other.

I don’t know at all, but if I can guess…

‘Is it pride?’

I silently walked out of the Ministry of Home Affairs office.

Snow was falling little by little in the gray sky of Moscow.